OSSEIN EFFLUENT AS WATER AND NUTRIENTS FOOTPRINT FOR BIODIESEL FEEDSTOCK PRODUCTION IN CHLORELLA VULGARIS BDU G91771

Abstract

India’s national policy on biofuels has proposed a non-mandatory target of 20% blend of biodiesel and ethanol to meet the country’s energy demand. The microalgae is one of the most promising feedstock of biodiesel. The research has identified an Indian marine isolate Chlorella sp. that can produce about 17% lipid and can be grown in ossein effluent containing low total dissolved solid and to use it as microalgal growth medium, reducing the water and nutrient footprint. This gives us lead for largescale microalgal technology, where Chlorella sp. can be grown in a sustained manner. The effluent composition almost mimics the essential algal nutrients (growth medium) and alternatives to the nutrient uptake processes. The lipid content of the control (ASN III medium) was 16%, followed by the ossein effluent comprised of high total dissolved solids (HTDS) 15% and low total dissolved solids LTDS 17%, respectively, which implies the relative lipid production of the strain grown in the effluent. The fatty acid profile of Chlorella vulgaris BDU G91771 in the selected effluent condition indicated its suitability for biodiesel production.